like granite or quartz. With matt surfaces you want to consider the placement of the light fittings, particularly with downlighters. It is recommended you place the units approximately 500mm apart as this will allow the pools of light to overlap creating a more consistent spread of light across the countertop. Task lighting that is often forgotten is the lighting of drawer and cupboard interiors. Being able to clearly see what is inside your cupboard or drawer makes your kitchen more practical and userfriendly. For glass fronted cupboards this lighting is not only task orientated but accent orientated as well. LED strip lighting is most commonly used for this but downlighters can also be used for a cupboard application. Systems now exist that allow this lighting to be motion activated so that drawer lighting will activate as you open the drawer. This is also an advantage when applied to the lighting of parts of your kitchen infrequently used like the scullery or laundry.
Accent lighting is lighting that is added to give your kitchen greater depth and to highlight features. Remember, the kitchen itself is a feature and can be accented with kickplate lighting and over-cabinet lighting. Over cabinet lighting can help to give the illusion of height to a room. If you are stuck with fairly low ceilings this is a fantastic trick to give you a greater illusion of space. The lighting can be fixed to the top of the kitchen units and can either create a thin highlight between cabinet and the ceiling if the cabinets are tall giving an intimate feeling, or a warmer, space-enhancing light if there is a larger gap between cabinet and ceiling. 32
Kickplate lighting definitely adds dimension, a sense of space and sophistication to a kitchen. LED strip lighting is placed unseen along the underside of the bottom cabinets at the kickplate. They are also a useful ‘night light’ option for those late-night snack runs.
Other accent lighting can be used to highlight art works or focal pieces in the kitchen. In order for this to be effective this accent lighting should be at least three times brighter than the ambient light. Lighting a kitchen island or breakfast bar is also important. It will need good task lighting but also accent lighting. Both an island and a breakfast bar / eating area offer you the opportunity for a bit of aesthetical flair. This is your chance to hang a beautiful feature light like pendent lights or a chandelier. If opting for pendent lighting you need to give thought to the space you have. A good recommendation is that a 2500mm area can accommodate three smalls to medium pendants or two large ones and a 3600mm area can accommodate five small to medium pendants or three large ones. On the whole the rule of aesthetics would recommend working in odd numbers. Your pendant lighting can be a real feature combining more than one style or with the lights at staggered heights and groups. The important thing to remember with any chandelier or pendant lighting is that you will need to do regular cleaning and maintenance. A kitchen is a messy place so the lights will collect dust and grease even if you have a good extractor.